Imaging element, image pickup apparatus, manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method

Abstract

There is provided an imaging element including a transmission channel region provided in an optical black pixel region shielded from light from an outside of a semiconductor substrate by a light shielding film, for transmitting a charge existing inside the semiconductor substrate of the optical black pixel region to an outside of the optical black pixel region.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An imaging element comprising:
 a transmission channel region provided in an optical black pixel region shielded from light from an outside of a semiconductor substrate by a light shielding film, for transmitting a charge existing inside the semiconductor substrate of the optical black pixel region to an outside of the optical black pixel region, 
 wherein the photoelectric conversion element provided in the optical black pixel region is formed near a boundary face of the semiconductor substrate to be thinner than a photoelectric conversion element provided in an effective pixel region. 
 
     
     
       2. The imaging element according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmission channel region is an N-type region. 
     
     
       3. The imaging element according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmission channel region is formed so as not to touch a photoelectric conversion element provided in the optical black pixel region. 
     
     
       4. The imaging element according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmission channel region is formed so as to transmit the charge to a photoelectric conversion element of a pixel in a dummy pixel region whose pixel output is not used and disposed next to the optical black pixel region. 
     
     
       5. The imaging element according to  claim 4 , wherein the dummy pixel region is disposed on an outer side of the optical black pixel region of the imaging element. 
     
     
       6. The imaging element according to  claim 4 , wherein the dummy pixel region is disposed on an inner side of the optical black pixel region of the imaging element. 
     
     
       7. The imaging element according to  claim 4 , further comprising a gate electrode extending from a boundary face of the semiconductor substrate and reaching the transmission channel region in the dummy pixel region. 
     
     
       8. The imaging element according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical black pixel region is provided near an effective pixel region. 
     
     
       9. An imaging element comprising:
 a transmission channel region provided in an optical black pixel region shielded from light from an outside of a semiconductor substrate by a light shielding film, for transmitting a charge existing inside the semiconductor substrate of the optical black pixel region to an outside of the optical black pixel region, 
 wherein a potential gradient is formed in the transmission channel region such that potential lowers along a horizontal direction from an inside of the optical black pixel region toward the outside of the optical black pixel region. 
 
     
     
       10. A manufacturing apparatus comprising:
 a transmission channel region formation part forming a transmission channel region provided in an optical black pixel region shielded from light from an outside of a semiconductor substrate by a light shielding film in the semiconductor substrate, for transmitting a charge existing inside the semiconductor substrate of the optical black pixel region to an outside of the optical black pixel region, 
 wherein the transmission channel region formation part forms the transmission channel region in the semiconductor substrate by applying a resist to a boundary face of the semiconductor substrate on a surface side, forming a resist opening region at a predetermined position, and implanting an N-type impurity, and 
 the transmission channel region formation part implants the N-type impurity having a concentration sufficient to invert a P-type impurity in a pixel separation region of the semiconductor substrate to an N-type impurity. 
 
     
     
       11. The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the transmission channel region formation part implants the N-type impurity at a depth that the formed transmission channel region does not touch a photoelectric conversion element in the optical black pixel region. 
     
     
       12. The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the transmission channel region formation part forms the transmission channel region in the semiconductor substrate by implanting the N-type impurity from a rear face side of the semiconductor substrate after forming an insulator film on the rear face side of the semiconductor substrate.